Homecoming Weekend

My friend, Emily, and I.

It was quite the eventful weekend, with Homecoming and all.  I think it was my first time taking part in all the weekend's festivities since first year.  I'm definitely glad I did since it's my last year.  I purchased a Game Day shirt from the bookstore, as well as pom poms and a MTA water bottle.  My VISA took a hit but I rationalized it with the fact that it was my last year and I certainly had to represent.  So, I slapped on some face paint and away I went.

I've never seen Sackville pumpin' with so many peeps before.  There were people of all ages scattered everywhere and the traffic was nuts.  Because it was the Fall Fair in Sackville, there were many activities and fun times to be had all weekend, including farmer's markets, bands and music to be listened to, circus rides, various suppers to attend, movie showings, games and lots more fun with even prizes to be won!  It was great to see so many smiling faces.  Sackville certainly is rich with culture and there's such a great feeling when you see so many people taking part in community activities.

You may or may not know that we lost the football game against X.  But it certainly was fun to watch; You inevitably get caught up in the adrenaline rush!  The boys played great and there were so many people there, painted from head to toe, cheering on the Mounties.  It was amazing to see so much support from the community people and students.

***

I've decided I'm going to take part in Aerobics classes as well as Dance Society classes.  I'm going to have a pretty busy semester indeed.  I think it's easier for me to keep going when I have so much to do though.  My friend, Emily, and I decided it might be both hilarious and fun if we signed up for the Beginner Hip Hop class.  It'll be a fun way to keep fit!  I also decided I'm going to go swim laps at the pool whenever I can.  I used to swim every Saturday for fourteen years.  I miss it - that's for sure.  I never even knew the pool was open for use until the second year.  You can check out the schedule on the Mount A website when it's open for member swims and drop in's.  Just take your MTA student ID with you, and you'll get in for a swim!

***

Alright folks, it's time for me to get organized for the day!

Take care,

Beth

Stumblin'

Well, I've thought long and hard, coming up with three vital tips that will guide you through your years at Mount Allison.  A lot of people say you have to learn from your mistakes, but I say you should learn from others' and save yourself the trouble.  So here it goes:

Don't carry your VISA - I cannot stress this one enough.  Use your credit cards for emergency use only.  This doesn't mean taking out a twenty when you're at the Pub to buy extra drinks and ensuring you have enough for a slice of pizza on your way home. I promise you this will happen if you carry your credit card in your pocket (especially when you're at the Pub and you're not in the right state of mind)

Keep your laptop at home - Avoid the temptation of taking your laptop to classes.  This is a common mistake a lot of students make and it inevitably takes a toll on your grades.  Take a notepad and pen instead of typing your notes up on your laptop.  This way, you're forced to pay attention during lectures instead of updating your Facebook status, chatting on MSN and refreshing your Hotmail inbox every ten minutes.  I cannot even count how many times I've witnessed people paying more attention to their computer screens than the professor.  It not only distracts you, but it distracts students around you who actually want to pay attention.  It's extremely hard to concentrate on what my professor is talking about when the person in front of me is chatting about the weekend's events on MSN or playing online games.

Make lists - Lists are extremely helpful and will keep you on the right track.  Put up a whiteboard in your room and write up a list of things you have to do.  You'll feel accomplished and focused every time you scratch something off.  Lists definitely keep me motivated, especially when there's so much I have to do.  It's good to prioritize and not to let everything go until the last minute.  Set goals and makesure nothing stands in your way of achieving them.

***

On a lighter note, I'm going to introduce you to a pretty amazing website.  It's called, "Stumbleupon".  For those of you who know what this website is, I'm sure you agree with me on its level of awesomeness.  For Stumbleupon newbs, follow along.

Go on over to www.stumbleupon.com - it takes about 20 seconds to sign up.  With registering, you check off some of your interests.  Now, with the click of the "stumble" button at the top of the screen, it will begin to journey you through websites on the internet that (based on what you checked off) will appeal to you.  It's a pretty great website for when you're bored.  I've discovered some amazing, hilarious, entertaining, inspiring and interesting websites.  You can give websites a thumbs up or thumbs down.  It will remember the ones that you've given the thumbs up to.  You should definitely check it out.  I find it more addicting than Facebook... and it's an addiction you don't have to feel bad about it because you're discovering things more interesting than what Jane Doe's status updates.

To 1st, 2nd, 3rd Year BFA Students:

So, after the first full week, a little bit of stress and excitement are lingering in my stomach.  

So, I'll walk you through the steps of what the first week will be like in your fourth year in Fine Arts.  If you're like me, you're not going to have a clue until you actually show up.  I had a basic  understanding of how things were going to work but I wasn't completely educated on the process until this week.

• Fourth Year Meeting - We had a fourth year meeting for the Bachelor of Fine Arts students in the Fine Arts building.  We were all given "Fourth Year Handbooks".
  
• The Head Advisor - a fine arts faculty member, told us how things were going to work this year.  We were informed that he'd be meeting with us a few times throughout the year as a group.
  
• Advisors - We have to pick two advisors from the F.A faculty.  These advisors are people who will be advising, assisting and evaluating us in the development of our independent work.  We will meet with these professors regularly throughout the semester.  We can have different advisors each semester.
• Studio Space - We got assigned our individual studio spaces that will become our home for the next eight months.  Some people have to share due to a lacking number of spaces.

Course Requirements/Expectations:

• produce a body of work plus studies/explorations relating to this body of work
• participation/presentation in weekly or bi-weekly group/individual conferences with your advisors
• produce a formal text addressing creative activity
• participation in joint advisor Studio Meeting
  
• participation/presentation in two formal critiques
  
• complete a presentation dossier with labeled documentation of artwork, artist statement, curriculum vitae or resume each semester
• attendance at all Visiting Artists lectures in the Visiting Artist Program
• attendance in fourth year workshops:  Artists in a Professional Context
• participation in New Year Open House studios
  
• participation in the BFA graduating show
  

Overwhelmed?  Well, I certainly am.  It's going to be a tough semester;  There's no one there to hold my hand anymore and I'm working primarily on my own.  I'm the one who creates my own "syllabus", assignments and deadlines.  This year is really going to test my independence, responsibility and ability to prioritize.  On top of the stress of meeting the BFA requirements and working in my studio, I'm lifeguarding when I can at the campus pool, blogging as much as I can, taking two seminar courses, my elective and a correspondence course.

OH MY OH MY OH MY!

I'm looking forward to it though.  Feel free to drop me a line if you would like to stop by and see my studio space sometime!

Peace, love, art.

Back in the Sack

I can't believe I didn't find out about correspondence courses until last year.  If I'd known from the beginning about them, I would've been taking them since my first year at Mount Allison.

So, in case you are in my boat and complete oblivious to correspondence courses I'm going to tell you a little bit about them.

With a wide variety of different courses to choose from, correspondence courses are an alternate way of completing courses needed to earn your degree.  You earn three credits which is equivalent to a course you'd take on campus.  The courses are held three times a year: September, January and May, so you can register for any course for any of these time periods.  You complete the course on your own time, submitting to the professor assigned tasks and essays through mail or e-mail.  

When you register, you get a packet of materials for the course.  I took Canadian Studies in the summer, so I got a booklet full of 12 lectures for the course as well as a list of books I needed to purchase.  Without the stress of due dates, I was able to complete the coursework in my own speed and with ease.  I didn't feel pressure at all and I found the course enjoyable and rewarding.  I completed the five essay assignments and then when I got back to Sackville I wrote the final exam.  

I recommend taking correspondence courses; It's a great way to ease your load in future years.  If I'd known about this, I would've been taking them during my summers off and then I would've had an easier course load in my last year at Mount Allison.

I must say I've never been so motivated to be back at school!  I think it's because I did so well in my summer course.  It has given me drive to stay on top of all my courses this year and to do the best that I can do.  I can't believe this is my last year here.  Realizing this has sent me in a whirlpool of emotions.  I'm a little sad to leave but I'm also excited and proud of myself.  I've learned a lot about myself here and this place has shaped me into a better person.  Realizing that this is my last year also fills me with fear because I'm not sure what I want to do after I graduate.  

I'm not entirely sure what to expect from this year but I know that I'm definitely excited to start the journey to the finish line, here in the sack.  I can't wait to take you along with me!

Feel free to drop me a line anytime: bmmartin@mta.ca

Take care!

Letters to a young artist

My dreams of become an artist have quickly spiraled into becoming a novelist.  It seems as though I've become less passionate about expressing myself onto canvas and have become more passionate about expressing myself through writing.  An artist is someone who expresses themselves artistically, so I suppose a novelist is an artist.  I just realized I'm not sure I want to seek a career in the visual arts as much as I once longed to do.

I e-mailed Lesley Crewe, a well known published writer from Cape Breton, seeking for advice.  So, this advice I'm going to pass onto you. "If your goal is to be published," Lesley wrote, "then you're in for a lot of misery, because getting published these days is pretty difficult." Hmm.  No... the only reason I write is because I love it.  I certainly never had dreams of being published when I was seven, writing down my heart and soul into tattered pages of my Mickey Mouse diary.  Lesley told me if that's my only goal, that I may be waiting a very long time.  This advice is good for anyone seeking fame in the arts... or anything.  Do whatever you want to do... for yourself;  Don't do it for anyone else or for any other reason than that.

"I you write because you want to, and if you write for only yourself, you'll have wonderful writing experience."

I suppose I strive to be a writer for self fulfillment and if I stumble upon success, then kudos!

"But I have a feeling, if writing is your love, then you'll do it for yourself and no one else. That is the best.  That way you're free and not encumbered by what you think others want from you."  That's excellent advice.  This is part of the reason why my love for painting and drawing has diminished into turmoil.  I was under the constant pressure of having to paint and draw what people wanted me to.  It quickly became a chore - a chore I wanted to have done and over with - a chore I wanted to bury in the past.

"Trust yourself and your talent and know that you are a writer when the writing is all that matters to you.  Getting published isn't what makes you a writer.  If you love it more than anything, then you're already a writer."

We are all writers already.  We're the authors of our own lives. We shouldn't live in accordance to other people.  We should live for ourselves and strive for self fulfillment and our own happiness.  Every day is a new page waiting to be filled... so go out and fill it.

Note to Frosh:

Well well well,

it's that time again, folks!

I'm sure those of you anxiously clenching your Mount Allison acceptance letters are more than ready to finally leave the house you grew up in.  I know that I certainly was.  My three years at Mount Allison flew by but I'll try to remember back from when I was in your shoes to give you some advice for the next eight months to come.

So, here are some necessities to have packed (especially if you're in residence):

1. A whiteboard for your door. YES YES YES. This is definitely what you need.  Pick up some colorful dry-erase markers while you're at it.  Do you get excited when you get a parcel or letter in the mail? I certainly do.  This is exactly the excitement that tickles your toes when you discover a friendly message on your whiteboard.  Write on your neighbours' and they'll do the same.  It's so much better than writing on Facebook walls!

2. A floor mat to put in front of your door.  S is for Sackville and S is also for SNOW... and LOTS of it! So, it's VERY handy to have something to soak up all the slosh from your shoes when you're after trucking through mountains of snow.

3. Posters, pictures and prettifications.  Keep in mind that your room is going to be your room for the next eight months... so you're going to want to personalize it!  Your room shares the essence of a hospital room splattered with bare walls and emptiness, so be sure to bring things that will make it "you". When new friends visit your room, they'll get to know a lot more about you by its aesthetic appearance... so doll it up!

4. Sandals. Unless you're in Campbell res, you're going to be sharing communal washrooms and showers.  I cringe at the thought of my feet alone... so think about the many peoples' feets that you'll be sharing headquarters with.  Yes.  Pack a few pair of flipflops to sport in the shower.

5. Power bar with surge protection. For some safety reasons (though MANY people refuse to obey this), you're prohibited from using extension cords... so get a power bar or two to supply the source needed for all your electronic junk.

6. Stackable storage bins. These are super super handy. It's hard to keep organized in a small space, especially if you have a roommate. You can NEVER have too many stackable storage bins!  You can get ones in the dollar store in various colours!

7. A Glade plug-in. The preferred snack in residence, for some reason or another, is microwave popcorn.  Sure, it's great at first... but I'm not over exaggerating when I say you'll be walking down the hall to the scent of buttered popcorn every day/night.  You'll need something to mask the nauseating scent(it becomes nauseating after you're forced to consume it every day) so pick up one of these plug-ins and a few bottles of Febreeze.

8. ALARM CLOCK. This is pretty obvious. If you don't have a cell phone equipped with an alarm, you'll definitely need to pick up one of these.  It can be hard to haul your rear out of bed for those 8:30am classes so you'll need an alarm clock with an obnoxious crow for that extra push.

9. QUARTERS. You've probably already packed numerous rolls of quarters.  Now, times it by ten and pack the difference. You really have no idea how many quarters you'll need for laundry. And quarters you have stashed away for laundry will quickly turn into quarters for the vending machines in the lobby. Oh, those vending machines will come in handy to quench your late night cravings for munchies.

10. A ridiculous amount of warm clothes. If you haven't read my blog on Sackville winters, click here. So, don't forget to pack your scarves, mits, hats, etc. in order to survive snowy Sackville storms.

Hopefully, this blog will be of help to you while you're double checking your packing list!  Look me up when you get to town and I'll be more than happy to show you the ropes.

Take care for now!

Prankwar.

When the counselors go to camp, we go to camp prepared. And by prepared, I mean fully equipped with the following: saran wrap, tin foil, multiple rolls of duct tape or any kind of tape, string and rope. We are fully prepared for war. And by war, I mean a week of prankfest.

It's become a little bit harder to get away with planning pranks when we know eachother and eachother's daily schedule's in and out. We know right away when one of the guys are missing or if something fishy is going on. And they usually sense when we're up to something. Two weeks of camp have gone by with harmless pranks and we all still await for the extravagant ones that we are seemingly oblivious to.


Last summer, the female staff got up at 4am in the morning during the last day of camp. During the week at camp we'd carefully snatched the male staffs' car keys. We parked their three cars in the middle of the field and proceeded to wrap them in saran wrap, wrapping paper and post-id notes. We'd been stealing their clothes all week and froze them. So, we took their frozen clothes and placed them neatly on the designated cars. We tied their cars together with rope and just taped random objects (whatever we could find) to their cars. They didn't know what to think when they woke up in the morning and saw it. Their reactions were absolutely hilarious and they have yet to get us back for this top of the line prank.

The staff form different alliances, banding together. Last week, one of the female volunteers was "on the guys' side" but was secretly telling us everything the guys were planning. So we were one step ahead of them. However, I'll give it to the guys. They did get us good. We'd been sneakily trying to get their car keys again. For example, Morgan tossed Liam his car keys in the air and we snatched them. I announced that was too easy and we gave them back. I knew it wasn't Liam's keys. They were trying to fool us. This happened a few more times. We then found Liam's keys in the couch. Later, we saw him searching through the cushions cursing. We snickered. We set our alarms and woke up at 4am. We creeped our way up to where Liam's car was. I went to open the door... the key wouldn't work and neither did his automatic car starter. We were livid. We turned around to go back to bed when Liam rolled out from under a tree, shined a flash light at us and said, "FAIL!"

They've only been playing defense so far. But we have a feeling they're cooking up something. I head back to camp for the week again tomorrow with my necessary tools for any pranks. I'll keep you posted!